Industrial lift truck



June 20, 1950 J. A. ADDE INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK Filed Oct. 7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4, to? J INVENTOR.

JOSCPH A. DD U I June 20, 1950 J. A. ADDE INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK Filed Oct. 7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I? 7 7/ 27 5 47 75 35 76 49 37 I 6/ e7 i 4/ 62 0 o o o I o o o *1 .57 o o o 6 3 65 79 7? \57 INVENTOR.

VJ06PH A. DDE

June 20, 1950 Filed Oct. '7, 1946 J. A. ADDE INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6/\l (62 63B 63B INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A. AD v/lmam/L I Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I INDUSTRIAL LIFT TRUCK Joseph A. Adde, Memphis, Tenn.

Application October 'I', 1946, Serial No. 701,825

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-46) This invention relates to industrial lift trucks and particularly relates to improved means for handling objects with such trucks. The means of this invention are especially adapted for use in conjunction with handling cotton bales. but may be equally adapted for the handling of other objects such as barrels. drums, boxes or crates.

Industrial lift trucks have been well known heretofore and have provided a mobile, selfpropelled vehicle for handling heavy parcels. Previous trucks have, however, required the insertion of a lifting member beneath the object to be lifted, lifting being thereafter accomplished by raising the member and the load supported thereon. The insertion of the lifting member beneath the object to be lifted has presented many problems, for the insertion must either be made by forcing the member beneath the object, creating the frequently realized danger of destroying or seriously damaging the object or its covering, or it must .be made by previously positioning the object spaced from the floor or other storage space by a platform or in other similar fashion, requiring undue loss of storage space and undue expenditure of time in storage. In addition the insertion-by-force" method has frequently proven inefiective in handling objects of the nature of cotton bales and has required additional handling to accomplish positioning on the lifting member.

.The principal object of this invention is to provide an automobile industrial lift truck with means for load engagement which will positively engage a load regardless of size, shape, or consistency.

A further object is to provide such load en gaging means which dependingly support a load.

A further object is to provide such load engagin; means with means for effecting load engagement and disengagement.

A further object is to provide an industrial lift truck with a pair of horizontal oppositely disposed arms, which are retractable into load engagement.

A further object is to provide such a truck with hydraulic means for efiecting retraction of the load engaging arms and means for disengaging the arms from the load.

And a further object is to generally improve the design, utility and efliciency of industrial lift trucks.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be 2 tion upon reference to the accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an industrial lift truck with the preferred form of load engaging means in extended position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the load eneasing arms retracted and a, cotton bale engaged and lifted by the device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lifting means with the arms in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an industrial lift truck with the improved device of this invention thereon.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of a variation of the load engaging arms; and

I Fig. 6 is a similar view of a further variation thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, ii is a conventional industrial lift truck, of which the controls are not shown, and which includes a hydraulic system having a control lever it. Also shown is a conventional lift rack l5, rigidly secured to the forward end of the truck H and having an extension member l1 slidably mounted thereon and actuated for raising and lowering by a. hydraulic Jack 69, which is connected to the hydraulic system of the truck and which may be controlled by a second control lever M or otherwise in conventional manner. Extension member it has slidably secured to it a vertically movable load-lifting mounting bracket 23, the side members of the bracket being apertured to receive a substantialiy horizontal elongated se curing pin 2t inserted therein for mounting and securing a member to the bracket. To the upper portion of the bracket is secured a hoist chain it, actuated by the motor oi the truck for raising the bracket along extension ill.

The load engaging mechanism oi this invention includes a plate it having integral depending members 3 l the plate and members being adapted to carry thelcad eng in members and the actuatlng mechanism therefor. Plate 29 is provided with a transverse tube section 33, secured thereto as by welding adjacent the junction of the plate and members, which may be registered with the apertures in the mounting bracket 23 so that pin 25 may be inserted through the apertures and the tube to removably secure the plate and members to the mounting bracket, so that the plate and the parts carried thereby may be raised when the bracket is raised, thus coupling the load engaging mechanism as a load-lifting unit operable by the readily understood from the following speciflcaas power of the lift truck. When so secured, the

plate is substantially horizontal and the depending members are substantially vertical and bear against the lower transverse member of the mounting bracket to prevent tilting of the plate under load strain.

In the preferred form of the device a hydraulic cylinder 35, having an internal piston and a piston rod 31, is pivotally mounted transversely on plate 29 as by a rod 39, preferably welded to the cylinder and journalled in brackets 4| secured to the plate 29. Cylinder 35 is hydraulicall communicated with the hydraulic system of the truck as by a hydraulic line or pipe 43. Upon the introduction of fluid under pressure into the cylinder the piston rod is extended toward one side of plate 29 for the purposes hereinafter pointed out, the introduction of fluid being controlled as by control lever 13.

The outer end of piston rod 31 is pivotall secured to the ears 45 which are mounted on and rigidly secured to an upper rod-like member 41 of a lever frame which includes a front member 49, a rear member 50, and a lower member 51, which are preferably integrated as by welding. The lower member 5| is rotatably supported in the lugs 53 which are secured to the side of plate 29. In this manner the lower member is adapted to pivotally secure the lever frame to the side of plate 29, so that the lever frame is oscillatable therefrom and the rod-like member 41 is spaced above the plate by front and rear members 49, 50 which project upward from member 5|, so that the member 41 may be moved outwardly responsive to the action of the cylinder and piston rod secured to the member. Secured at one end to the plate 29 as by an eye 55 is a tension spring 51, the

opposite end of which is secured to the upperv member 41 of the lever frame and urges inward return movement of the upper frame member. Thus it will be seen that the frame is rocked outwardly about its pivot respons ve to thrust of the piston rod, and on release of the pressure thereon is returned to its original, substantially vertical posit on by the tension spring, the purpose of this movement being pointed out hereinafter.

R gidly mounted on plate 29 are a plurality of guide yokes 59, preferably arranged in transversely alined pairs, one pair being set adjacent the front edge of the plate and the other pair being spaced rearwardly therefrom. These guide yokes are adapted to slidably receive the retractable load engaging arms 6 I. 62 which are horizontally disposed transversely along the upper surface of the plate 29 and extend oppositely therefrom. Each of the arms GI, 62 includes a depending load contacting portion 63, which in the preferred form includes a pair of downwardly diverging inwardly facing hook portions 65 which are adapted on retraction of the arms to bite into the surface of the object to be handled, whereby a firm lifting purchase may be obtained. The arms GI, 62 are preferably provided with a pluralit of apertures 61 by which adjustment of the spacing between the depending portions may be effected.

Reaction and extension of the arms is accomplished through linkage by which the arms may be operably coupled to the lever frame.

thereby retracted for load engagement. Front frame member 49 is preferably provided with an ear 1| adjacent the junction with upper member 41, to which ear is pivotaily attached one end of a link 13, the opposite end" of which is coupled to a lever arm 15 pivotally supported from a bracket 11 rigidly secured to plate 29 adjacent the forward edge thereof. To the opposite end of the lever arm 15 is pivotally connected 9. link 19, to which is removably secured the forwardly disposed arm 6|, as by a pin 8| inserted through a selected aperture 61 into engagement with the link. ,On outward movement of the frame member responsive to action of the cylinder and piston, lever 15 is moved about its pivot by link 13, and the lever oppositely moves link 19,

'through which movement arm 8| is pulled slidingly inward, being thereby retracted for load I Si, 82 are inserted in the guide yokes, with the hook portions inwardly faced, and are slid into desired spacing where the securing pins therefor are inserted through the selected apertures and engaged respectively with the links 89, 19. The entire assembly may then be mounted on and secured to bracket 23, and the hydraulic line 43 connected to the cylinder and to the hydraulic system of the truck, the entire device bein thereby readied for operation.

The lift truck may then be moved to position for use in handling a desired object, such as a bale of cotton 83, with arms GI. 82 overhanging the sides thereof. The arms 61, 62 may be further adjusted to the size of the parcel or object, if necessary, by selecting an aperture 61 and securing the arm to its related link by pin insertion in the manner decribed. The mount ing bracket 23 may then be lowered until plate 29 of the load lifting unit is adjacent the upper surface of the bale 83, and the piston rod 31 actuated by pressure introduced into cylinder 35, the rod being extended thereby and moving upper frame member 41 outwardly against the action of spring 51. This movement effects movement of links 69, 19 in the manner described, retracting the arms SI, 82 inwardly until the hook portions 65 are brought firmly into penetrating contact with the bale near its upper surface, thus effecting an engagement of the load by the depending portions of the arms. Once this engagement has been eflected, the load lifting unit is raised through the raising of the mounting bracket by the power of the truck Pivotally secured at one end to the upper frame transmitted through chain 21, and the bale secured by the engagement is lifted and held depending from the hooks for movement as desired. Raising may also be effected by the action of jack 19 extending extension member 11, and lifting with it, mounting bracket 23 and the depending load.

In Figs. 5 and 6, variations of the load engaging arms are shown, Fig. 5 showing the depending portions 83A terminating in inward y facing plate portions 65A which are particularly useful in handling cartons and the like, in which it is desirable that the surface of the wrapper or covering should not be marred; and Fig. 6 showing the depending portions 633 terminating in inwardly facing arcuate portions 653, particularly adapted for use in handling round or cylindrical objects. Operation and use of these variations is identical with that heretofore described.

It will be understood that, except where specifically limited in the claims, the coupling of the hydraulic means to the arms for retraction thereof may be modified without departing herefrom. Thus the arms may each embody a rack rigidly connected thereto and lying along the arms, which racks may be engaged by pinions powered through the hydraulic system, to effect retraction of the arms. Or the arms may be directly connected by suitable links to the opposite ends of a double action hydraulic cylinder and piston, to effect the retraction. Extension of the arms may be spring urged as hereinbefore described.

It will be further understood that the retraction of the arms may be manually effected without the use of hydraulic means, without departing herefrom.

I claim:

1. An automobile lift truck which includes power means; a hydraulic system powered by said means, a member connected to said power means for load lifting movement to raised position and lowering movement for deposit thereof; means for supporting said member and a load lifted thereby; and means for engaging a load to be lifted comprising a, substantially horizontal plate secured to said member for movement therewith, an upright lever frame oscillatably mounted on said plate adjacent one edge thereof, a pair of arms slidably mounted on said plate and oppositely extending laterally therefrom, each said arm terminating in an inwardly faced depending hook-like portion outwardly spaced from said plate and adapted for load engagement, said arms being respectively adjustably operatively coupled to said lever frame, hydraulic means connected to said lever frame and adapted to swing said frame outwardly for retracting said arms to effect load engagement by said depending portions, said hydraulic means being in communication with said hydraulic system and maintaining said load engagement during said communication, and a tension spring connected at one end to said lever frame and at its opposite end to said plate urging extension of said arms and release of said load, said spring being extended by outward swinging of said frame during saidcommunication and effective upon interruption of said communication to return said frame to upright position and accomplish said release.

2. An automobile lift truck which includes power means; a member connected to said power means for movement thereby to raised and lowered positions: means supporting said member; and means for engaging and supporting a load to be handled, comprising a substantially horizontal plate secured to said member and moved therewith, an upright lever frame oscillatably mounted on said plate, a pair of arms slidably mounted on said plate and oppositely extending laterally therefrom, each said arm terminating in a depending portion adapted for load engagement, said arms being respectively adiustably operatively coupled to said lever frame, means mounted on said plate connected to said lever rs 2.469.812

frame and adapted to swing said frame outwardly, said means being in communication with said power means and operable thereby to swing said frame outwardly to retract said arms and effect load engagement by said depending portions, said load being dependingly supported by said engagement, said plate, said arms and said supported load being raised with said member, and means for disengaging said depending portions from said load upon interruption of operation of said power means.

3. An automobile lift truck which includes power means; a hydraulic system powered by said means, a member connected to said power means for load lifting movement to raised position and lowering movement for deposit thereof; means for supporting said member and a load lifted thereby: and means for engaging a load to be lifted comprising a substantially horizontal plate secured to said member for movement therewith, an upright lever frame oscillatabiy mounted on said plate, a pair of arms slidably mounted on said plate and oppositely extending laterally therefrom, each said arm terminating in a depending portion outwardly spaced from said plate and adapted for load engagement, said arms being respectively operatively coupled to said lever frame, hydraulic means in communication with said hydraulic system and connected to said frame for retracting said arms to effect load engagement by said depending portions, said hydraulic means maintaining said load engagement during said communication, and means urging extension of said arms and release of said load, effective upon interruption of said communication to accomplish said release.

4. An automobile lift truck which includes power means; a member connected to said power means for load lifting movement to raised position and lowering movement for deposit thereof; means for supporting said member and a load lifted thereby; and means for engaging a load to be lifted comprising a substantially horizontal plate secured to said member for movement therewith, an upright lever frame oscillatably mounted on said plate, a pair of arms slidably mounted on said plate and oppositely extending laterally therefrom, each saidarm terminating in a, depending portion outwardly spaced from said plate and adapted for load engagement, said arms being operatively coupled to said lever frame, means for swinging said frame outwardly to retract said arms and eflect load engagement by said depending portions, said retracting means maintaining said load engagement during load lifting, and means urging return of said frame and extension of said arms and release of said load.

JOSEPH A. ADDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,280 Myrholm Feb. 20, 1912' 1,563,505 Lough Dec. 1, 1925 1,895,840 Norling Jan. 31, 1933 2,060,722 Breslav Nov. 10, 1930 2,120,639 Buente June 14, 1938 2,138,498 McMillan Nov. 29, 1938 2,323,810 Fontaine July-6, 1943 2,390,293 Colson Dec. 4, 1945 2,420,828 King May 30, 1941 Breslav May 10, 1949 

